A MODERN community space to host Furness meetings, religious services and even fitness sessions was created within the shell of a Victorian church for£500,000.

Completing the new Trinity Church Centre, on Warwick Street, Barrow, was one of the key objectives following the uniting in 1991 of Abbey with Hawcoat Methodist Church and Emmanuel United Reformed Church.

A ribbon to mark its official opening, on April 15 in 1994, was cut by church member Alan Baines.

A commemorative plaque was unveiled by the Reverend Donald Frith, the county chairman of the Methodist Church; the Reverend Keith Forecast, Moderator for the North West Province of the United Reformed Church and the Reverend David Robinson, minister of the Trinity Church Centre.

The Mail noted: “It is the culmination of almost a year’s work when builders created a new church, chapel, games room and rest rooms in the former Methodist church building,”

There was also a modern tea bar included in the plans by architects People and Places of London and Thomson-Adsett, of Runcorn.

The building work was by Barrow contractors Leck Construction.